Don’t Feed The Bear – Review + Winner Today on Perfect Picture Book Friday!

Last Friday, I interviewed Kathleen Doherty about her path to publication with a look behind the scenes at the inspiration and creation of her picture book, Don’t Feed The Bear. Today, as promised, I’m giving you a peek inside this hilarious book. And don’t forget to read all the way to the bottom to find out the name of the lucky, hat-picked recipient who won a copy of Kathy’s book!

As a kid, I couldn’t resist flopping on the living room rug with a bowl of pretzels to watch cartoons. I giggled through The Flintstones, admired Judy’s fashion sense on The Jetsons, and had my funny bone tickled as Yogi Bear and Boo Boo tried to fool the ranger. It’s this last cartoon that came to mind as I read Kathy’s picture book, Don’t Feed The Bear. Take one oversized bear and one petite, stout ranger, both with ravenous appetites for camper’s goodies and both determined keep the other from getting any, and you’ve got a laugh a page picture book!

Bear and Ranger are two desperate characters that will stop at nothing to get all the camper’s handouts for themselves. And I mean, they will stop at nothing! Creative signs, a war of words, a spritz of paint… Who’s going to win? You’ll have to read this book to find out. 

No picture book is complete without perfect illustrations, and with the award-winning art of Chip Wass, who designs characters and illustrations for Disney, Nick at Nite, Cartoon Network, and more, Don’t Feed The Bear is a super-duper, picture book treat! 

Title – Don’t Feed The Bear

Written by – Kathleen Doherty

Illustrated by – Chip Wass

Published by- Sterling Children’s Books – 2018

Topics – Compromise, fairness, and getting along.

Opening – Bear loved when campers left him grub.

Mac and cheese…carrot cake…meatball stew!

Early one morning, Bear heard SMACKITY! SMACK! WHOMP!

He clomped off to investigate.

Synopsis from Amazon – Mac and cheese, Carrot cake, Meatball stew: Bear loves when campers leave him grub. The park ranger does not. Smackity smack, Ranger pounds a sign into the ground: DON’T FEED THE BEAR! Upset—no more chewy cookies? No more juicy burgers?—Bear quickly crosses out the “don’t.” Now, it’s war in the park! But when both Bear and Ranger end up losing out, will the two antagonists finally call a truce? With its delightfully cartoonlike pictures and clever wordplay, this picture book will keep kids laughing for hours.

Why do I like this book? Bear and the ranger aren’t your typical picture book characters. These two are snarky, sneaky, and utterly creative when it comes to outsmarting the other. Armed with a bunch of signs sporting well-chosen words, a little spray paint, and some markers, Bear and the ranger learn an important lesson. And seriously, when you read this book, get ready for laughs!

Now for the winner of Kathy’s book.

Please put your hands together for Patricia Tilton!!!

Learn more about Kathleen Doherty HERE.

Learn more about Chip Wass, illustrator HERE.

Until next Friday!